By Juliet ETEFE
The Energy Commission has certified new electrical wiring professionals following the November/December national examinations, as it strengthens enforcement of electrical safety regulations.
A total of 1,386 candidates sat for the examinations nationwide, with 1,179 passing.
The figure includes 426 candidates from the Accra Centre who were inducted at the Commission’s 24th Electrical Wiring Certification and Awards Ceremony held in Accra under the theme: “Training Today’s Youth, Certifying Tomorrow’s Electrical Experts.”
Chairing the ceremony, Board Chairman of the Energy Commission, Prof. John Gartchie Gatsi, said the programme remains central to the Commission’s mandate of regulating electrical wiring practice and ensuring professionalism across homes, industries and national infrastructure.
He cautioned that poor wiring practices continue to pose significant risks, contributing to fire outbreaks, accidents, and property loss, emphasising the Electrical Wiring Regulations, 2011 (L.I. 2008), which mandate that only certified practitioners undertake electrical installations in the country.
Prof. Gatsi said the Commission has certified over 18,000 electricians and inspectors nationwide since the enforcement of the regulations, underscoring sustained efforts to improve compliance and safety outcomes.
He called for stronger monitoring and evaluation of practitioners to ensure discipline within the sector and urged the public to patronise only certified electricians.
In a keynote address, Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, described the certification programme as a key intervention in addressing youth unemployment and bridging skills gaps.
He said Ghana’s youthful population must be supported with structured opportunities that translate technical skills into sustainable livelihoods, adding that skills development remains central to the government’s economic reset agenda.
He noted plans to deepen collaboration between the Energy Commission and the National Youth Authority under the National Apprenticeship Programme (NAP) to formalise training in electrical installation and other technical trades.
He directed the Authority to work with the Commission and accredited training providers to expand access to certification pathways, particularly for young people in the informal apprenticeship system.
The minister also outlined plans for joint outreach programmes to identify and train uncertified electricians across districts, alongside public education campaigns to promote the use of certified professionals.
He stressed that certification must be complemented by access to tools, opportunities and continuous professional development to ensure skills are effectively utilised.
Acting Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, Ms. Adwoa Serwaa Bondzie, said ongoing reforms are focused on strengthening training, certification and compliance systems to enhance safety and accountability.
She said more than 600 apprentices have been formally registered nationwide under a new system designed to regulate previously informal training arrangements and track progression toward certification.
Of this number, 36 are female, which she described as encouraging but insufficient, calling for targeted interventions to improve gender participation in the sector.
“Apprentices are now being formally registered and linked to certified master electricians. Their training pathways are being tracked. Their progression is being structured. Their future certification is being prepared deliberately,” she said.
Ms. Bondzie also highlighted progress on the Commission’s digital certification system, noting that the Installation Completion Certificate Application (ICCAPP) is being integrated with the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company in selected districts.
She said the system enables real-time verification of certified installations, eliminates paper-based processes, reduces fraud and improves service delivery efficiency.
The Commission, she added, will continue to intensify apprentice registration, strengthen enforcement and promote continuous professional development to ensure certification translates into sustained competence and public trust.
Awards
Odoom Daniel emerged the Overall Best Candidate and Oppong Afua Gyapomaa as Overall Best Female Candidate.
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